Exquisite Taste
by DarthAnimus
Summary: Established USxUK: Alfred's kisses taste like coffee and Arthur's like tea. Alfred wonders if the taste of tea can be found anywhere else besides the lips.


**Exquisite Taste**

Sometimes Alfred really wondered if Arthur might have liked tea more than him. It was not a good thought for a hero to have (there was nothing better than a hero, after all) but it still popped into Alfred's mind when the American walked into the living room where he had left Arthur only to find the Brit sipping a cup of tea. How on earth had Arthur even gotten himself tea without leaving the room?

"Where did you get that tea?" Alfred asked out loud and Arthur glanced up at him, sipping his drink calmly before replying: "I always carry a thermos in my suitcase."

"W-what?" the American queried, a chuckle breaking out of his mouth along with the word. "Why the heck would you make a habit out of something like that? You can get tea anywhere, even at the buffets at meetings, and you even forced me to get some into my cupboard."

"I only did that after you had annoyed me into buying coffee for you," Arthur grumbled. "Which, for the record, I only did to get you to stop whining about it." The Brit downed the cupful, a porcelain cup Alfred noted and thought that it was such an Arthur-like thing to do to carry even a cup with him. "And I thought it was the wise thing to do, considering that blasted frog's tendency to mess with my drinks on a regular basis."

Well, there was some sense in that reasoning, Alfred concluded as he moved to sit beside the other on the sofa. He watched silently as Arthur placed his cup on the coffee table with a satisfied upward quirk on his lips and then spoke out: "Now I also know why you taste like tea all the time, you drink it whenever my back is turned."

"I most certainly do not," Arthur argued with a scoff. "I simply enjoy a healthy doze of caffeine a couple of times a day. It's nothing like you and those fancy special coffees you insist on drinking simply because they taste good by your backwards standards."

"But they _are_ yummy!" Alfred insisted cheerily. "I really don't understand why you dislike it so much. At least it's a different taste every time. You just taste like Earl Grey all the time."

"Think of the brighter side," Arthur muttered. "At least, if you kiss me in a dark room, you will surely know it's me from the taste."

"But you drink it so much your sweat probably tastes like tea!" Alfred insisted in outrage. The American looked at his lover thoughtfully for a moment and then made up his mind, speaking out: "I say we test that theory. Take your shirt off."

"What?" Arthur exclaimed and grabbed the front of his vest as if to keep anyone from yanking it off. "That's absolutely ridiculous! There's no way I would… It-it's not physically possible!"

"Don't be like that, Arthur!" Alfred prompted and grabbed Arthur around the waist to pull the other onto his lap. "I promise you can keep your shirt on if it's that big of a deal. There's a mystery to be solved here."

"There is no mystery here!" Arthur snapped. "Bugger off. I refuse to be a part of this!"

"Oh, but you must!" Alfred exclaimed and tucked Arthur closer against his body with one arm while he pointed to the skies (ceiling) dramatically with a finger and exclaimed: "For science!"

"You're an idiot," Arthur growled, pushing on Alfred's shoulders but ceasing his struggles once he failed to lodge the larger nation off. "You really are an idiot…"

"No, I'm smart," Alfred corrected as he nuzzled his face into the hairline behind Arthur's ear. "I have to be, to come up with such an awesome target for research."

Alfred felt the cheek pressed against his chin heat up, a sure sign that the shorter man was blushing, and smiled in satisfaction before flicking his tongue out to lick at the warm skin. The taste was rather bitter, actually, much like the traces of black tea that Alfred often caught on Arthur's tongue during deep kisses.

When Alfred pulled back from the other nation, he saw that Arthur's face was almost completely covered by an embarrassed shade of red. The green eyes were glowering at Alfred in a manner that was actually rather petulant once one thought about it a bit.

"Are you satisfied now?" Arthur grumbled. Alfred grinned widely at the other and nodded his head eagerly. "So?" the Brit queried in a condescending tone. "Did I taste like tea?"

"Actually, yeah you did," Alfred answered and delighted in the scandalized glower Arthur sent at him in reaction, thick eyebrows lowering down in a manner that would have been frightening if Alfred did not know what Arthur would never really harm him. And so the American leaned forward to kiss the other's lips before speaking out: "Thanks."

Arthur huffed at the expression of gratitude, directing his gaze away from Alfred's face as he grumbled: "I didn't agree for you, you idiot. I did it for my sake."

"Of course you did," Alfred agreed, his grin not easing in the slightest. "And I'm glad you did."

"Stop talking and kiss me," Arthur ordered grumpily. "You invited me over for quality time, not so that you could annoy me with your stupidity."

"Ah, Arthur, annoying you _is_ quality time in my books," Alfred murmured but did as he was told nonetheless, planting his lips upon Arthur's own.

Arthur's body against Alfred's form was warm, but that was nothing in comparison to the heat Alfred felt against his lips as Arthur seemed intent on kissing Alfred until the American ran out of witty things to say. Of course Arthur called those said witty things 'bouts of idiocy' but Alfred was certain that his lover was simply jealous of his superior and awesome conversational skills.

Alfred pushed back against the tongue that persisted in invading his mouth, tasting the sugar Arthur had put in his tea and, underneath that, the bitterness of the tea itself.

Tangling a hand in Arthur's already mussed up hair, Alfred used his hand to tilt the Brit's head to the side so that he could kiss the other deeper and catch more of that dark taste.

In the end the two nations had to stop for air and Alfred ended the kiss with a resounding smack that had Arthur slapping his arm in retaliation; Arthur hated it when he did that. But Alfred did not mind as he asked, even while he was still catching his breath: "Would you…like…to have some…tea?"

Also panting heavily, Arthur simply looked at him with a curious expression for a few moments, one eyebrow arching in confusion. Finally the Brit spoke out an answer, his voice still slightly breathless: "Didn't you just complain about how I drank too much tea in your opinion?"

"I just feel like having some myself, so I thought I'd offer you some too," Alfred answered easily, smiling pleasantly.

"I thought you firmly believe tea to taste of 'oppression and injustice'," Arthur commented suspiciously. "Why would you change your mind?"

"Because I experienced an absolutely awesome revelation just now," Alfred replied insistently. "Tea doesn't taste like that at all, but like something else entirely."

"And that is?" Arthur prompted and Alfred grinned before turning his head to whisper into the Brit's ear: "It tastes like you, Arthur." Then the American planted a light kiss on the shell of the ear, the skin turning red as Arthur blushed. Alfred returned to his previous position to flash a brilliant grin at his lover. "And 'Arthur' is a lot better a taste than that other stuff."

Arthur's face was once again scarlet and the Brit coughed into a fist before grumbling: "I suppose you don't always get stupid notions into your head."

"Damn straight," Alfred agreed brightly and moved Arthur off his lap and onto the couch cushions. "I'll go get us some nice tea, then." The American stood and made to leave, only to stop short when Arthur's hand fisted the bottom of his shirt. "What is it, Arthur?"

The quirk in Arthur's lips looked suspiciously like a pout but before Alfred could determine if it really was one or not, Arthur spoke out: "Hurry back. I-I…" The Brit scowled and then sighed before finishing quietly: "I'm going to kiss you senseless, you oblivious, romantic twit."

It took a moment for the words to fully register with Alfred, but when they did the expression on the American's face brightened even further and the taller man spoke: "You bet," and then hurried to prepare the tea he had promised. They would share the pot between the two of them, along with kisses, lots of kisses.

_**The End**_


End file.
